Justin, At 03:52 PM 4/6/00 -0500, thus did you send forth: >We are in the process of switching to a larger and faster data server >(Windows NT) to store our flow cytometry data. We will be using either one >or two 9GB drives. I am wrestling with long term archive options that >currently include 4mm DAT tape, CD-RW/CD-R or DVD-RAM. I am leaning toward >DVD-RAM because of the 5.2GB capacity and longevity of the media. The down >side is that DVD-RAM is not a mature technology like CD-RW/CD-R or 4mm DAT. > We'll probably install it on a fast MAC in the lab (the server is in >another building) and use Retrospect backup software so that we can retain >Cellquest file attributes without Filetyping when we pull archived files >from the disk. The last threads in the flow e-mail archives relating to >DVD are dated 1997. Has anyone used this storage technology since then? >Thanks. We have Retrospect (which I like), but you don't need to use Retrospect to preserve the file attributes. Just enable Services for Macintosh on NT Server. I have a CD burner on a Mac and I copy the flow data directly from the NT Server shared "Mac" disk (using Chooser) onto a local hard disk (for burning speed), then burn them using the Mac Folders and Files format in Adaptec Toast. DAT tapes don't have the longevity of either CD or DVD media - only a few months for certain, and it's a real pain (and time-consuming) to hunt down individual files for restoration. The advantage of CD-R is that if need be, any Mac can read them. Plus, since it is write-once media, it makes it more acceptable as an official "archive of record." DVD is indeed a wonderful thing, and I myself lust for a DVD-writer, but until they've adopted a reasonably stable format, I'm holding off switching to that system for archives. I think in a year or so, they'll have hammered something out. --Janet ---------------------------------------- Janet E. Lewis Computer Support (PC & Mac) UWCCC Flow Cytometry Facility UWCCC Imaging Facility Clinical Sciences Center, K4/535 600 Highland Ave. Madison, WI 53792-5666 (608)263-0313 (608)263-9226 jelewis1@facstaff.wisc.edu ----------------------------------------
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sat Mar 10 2001 - 19:31:15 EST